LISBON — Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin said Tuesday the investigation into a husband and wife found shot to death in their West Township home is looking like a suspected murder-suicide.

The deaths at 24235 Ridge Road, East Rochester remain under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and the Columbiana County Coroner’s Office, with McLaughlin noting a final ruling remains pending.

He admitted, though, that the scenario appears to be that the husband shot himself after shooting the wife multiple times.

The dead were identified as Vanessa Chester, 37, and Jason Hilaire, 50, both of the Ridge Road home.

According to a press release issued by McLaughlin, the sheriff’s office received a call at 4:32 p.m. Monday for a welfare check at the residence, followed by another call stating that a son found his mother and stepfather deceased in the home.

The sheriff’s office responded, along with Minerva Police Department and the Sandy Creek Joint Fire District. Two people were found in the home with gunshot wounds and the county Coroner’s Office was called to the scene, along with Child Protective Services.

According to the sheriff’s investigative report, a man called requesting the welfare check on Hilaire, claiming he was going through a divorce and was told by a mutual friend that he had left an “ominous sounding voicemail” and nobody had been able to make contact with him. A minute later, another call came in from someone claiming his son’s friend found his mother and stepfather deceased in the basement. Another caller reported their child’s friend called, a female juvenile, saying she found the two shot in the home.

Besides Children Services being called to the scene, the county Dog Warden was called for a dog at the home.

McLaughlin said a 10-millimeter handgun was found near the bodies. The evidence list on the sheriff’s investigative report included multiple spent shell casings and live pistol rounds, two different pistols, divorce paperwork and phones.

A call was made to the county Coroner’s Office, but had not been returned as of Tuesday afternoon.

A check of Columbiana County Common Pleas court records showed no filings for Hilaire or Chester.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with any information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 330-424-7255.